Cloudbank
by Ellered
Summary: Bella/Edward fluff.
1. Chapter 1: Cloudbank

**Title: Cloudbank  
pairing: Bella/Edward post BD**

Rating: PG13

**s**

* * *

Above, where the cloud seems to hover possessively around the pines, and the wind cools her face, there's a sliver of sunlight about to break through--between the cracks of dark and grey; here above the trees, where the cloud bank falls and touches the wet mossy ground.

She's closed her eyes, experiencing the sensuous feel of the wind and the sun touching parts of her exposed skin-where it looks like tiny diamonds-tiny pinpoints of sun itself. Her hand grazes the edge of the bark-rough, prickly, yet smooth in parts and here, above, where she had just finished her hunt, where she's sated some of her thirst, she's enjoying her eternity as a vampire.

Her mind is full of happy thoughts, and feelings of love, and even the thought of danger where it had been prevalent in the past---wasn't, ever something that she felt would ever come to pass again.

Bella took a deep breath, climbed easily down the length of the tree, and jumped from the last branch to the leafy blanket below. Even the feel of her legs, her feet which crashed against the soil felt light-airy, singularly too powerful. Everything about her felt too much of that.

Edward waited for her there, his arms folded, leaning against a tree, the very same favourite crooked smile on his gorgeous features, and he's looking at her with that same bewildered and fascinated look.

If she could blush, she would, and she thinks to herself that that was perhaps the only thing that he may miss about her-her mortality and fragility, and still, he couldn't read her mind.

Bella walks down the hill and he takes the stride next to her, pacing along the path-where the road curves into a smooth opening beside the line of narrow trees. They realize that they're walking as slow as any other human-neither wanting to rush anywhere at anyplace.

She gives him a quick sidelong look, and laughs, "What?" her hand swinging slightly along her side reaches up to push him affectionately. He laughs with her.

"It's just that," he started, chuckles again when she's giving him that glare, her eyes taking on that amber bright glow.

"I can't read your mind, Edward." She goads, still grinning, a little ahead now. She knows that he's faster than her, no matter how much headway she makes first.

"Even after all this time, after seeing you hunt with me, seeing your strength-I can't help but still think of you as this delicate..." he paused, looking up to see.

But she's slowed down, her feet shuffling to a halt, turning to look at her mate.

"Pretty incredible huh?" She gives him a smug smile, and he's already close, his cool breath on her cheek. He takes a hand to carefully move her mahogany hair aside-where the wind had pushed a strand between his lips and hers.

"Yeah. You can say that. You really are..." his voice, deep, choked with a kind of love, turns to a whisper, "I love you, Bella Cullen."

She closes her eyes, enjoys the feel of his hands sliding inside her coat, fingers playing along the narrow of her waist, and reaching---longing to touch her skin.

His intake of breath brought pleasure to her ears, as she allows herself to be kissed-where his cool lips, not cold anymore-not warm; but just right-to graze along the side of her lips, along her jaw, and touch where the pulse of her heart beat once made his thirst unbearable.

She sighs, her eyes opening, fluttering and he takes her lips-kissing, kissing, the soft supple feel of his made her feel more alive than when her blood ran hot.

"Edward...." Bella chokes out, with too much love in her heart, almost bursting, like the first time....like always, "we've never..."

He couldn't read her thoughts, no, but he could understand. Perhaps through the misty mischief in her eyes, "You mean, here? As in..."

Bella sent him a challenging look through hooded eyes, giving him what she hopes would be a sultry dare, while walking a little backwards now-so that her back is against the tree, her hand gripping his jacket close-pulling him to her.

His lips on hers-hard, almost desperate, and she's wound her arms around him, gripping enough so that her leg has inched higher, wrapping around his waist, and where he's already pulled her up a little higher. Just enough so that her head is a little above his, and the branches that hung low appear to canopy their movements; the soft pull of his love growing desperate with a kind of need, because she's not fragile-he doesn't need to control as much as he did. She's equal to him in every way.

The sound of footsteps heard stilled their movements; it was too distant to be of any significance, but they halted anyway. Each looking into eyes they adored, the mirror of their love beat loudly where their hands wandered.

Another moment passed, Bella lightly kissed the bridge of his nose, kissed the perfect, elegant line of his brow. She waited, waited then slid down slowly from his gentle grasp. "I love you too, Edward Cullen."

His eyes took on that light---where the blackness deepened, and where the sun seemed to touch-like the diamonds on his everlasting soul.

"Come; let's go up the hill, away from the cloudbank. I want to see you in the light."

She looks up where the sun has been peeking in and out of the grey mist above, and her breath caught as she turns to him. How her heart swelled-almost ached.

He nods, swallows, almost controlling himself, "Anything..."

Then she's pulling him with her fingers entwined in his, up the hill, where the mist is fading, sliding down the path where they're heading.

She bites her lip, stifling a small giggle, and her pace has quickened.

She's elated, refreshed, and happily in love. Those feelings that exist within her--- from the steady heart beat within correlated, almost in chorus to his.

Their departing figures winding up the opposite path they took, away from the falling cloudbank, and where the sun is glinting, to an open meadow. To the first place they fell and loved so deeply.

Bella's happy thought lingered, and if he could hear her thoughts, his easy grin would widen. And she closes her eyes as she guides him, her lips parting, touching the dew-tasting the world around them.

She relaxes in the feel of his arms as soon as they've settled down the open clearing. Her thoughts filled with him. She knows, even through the trials of their relationship that nothing in this world--_nothing--_ever again could separate her from her soul mate.


	2. Chapter 2: the Return

_A/N: I decided, when on a whim, I'd write some short pieces of Bella/Edward._

_title: The Return_

_rating: T_

_Summary:_

_A little fast forward in time from the first chapter, but it relates later in the next one that will come up._

* * *

Bella was gone, for what---she counted the days. Perhaps only a few days, but it was long enough. Too long away from Edward. She remembered with a painful kind of clarity: The long aching months of his departure three years before-where he had to leave her: To stay away......to protect her and himself. Now that their vows have been taken, their fates sealed through death and immortality, they were barely out of each other's company. Each day felt like a new surprise. Yet, there came the time that she would visit her mother down in Jacksonville, and to stay only for a couple of days. She knew it would be time to see her mother, for it has been too long. Edward had business elsewhere-and that he'd visit with her the next time she wanted to go. Their parting had the sweet promise of their reunion.

Now that the familiar path greets her-the car engine running smoothly, the trees along the graveled path seem to rise up to meet her as she nears the property to her home---she hears her heart beating fast---a kind of ache pulls there, and her hand grips the wheel. She thought she heard it. Even as she drove through the open gate-- dark and ornate, against the falling mist---where the sun doesn't even shine here after the noon breaks.

It's just dark enough for the driveway lights to turn on, and still bright enough that the shadows are hidden.

Slowing the car, the light from the bedroom is on. The long windows beckon-her hands turn the wheel, steering the car into the driveway.

She thought she heard, even from the distance. His song to her, and the way he welcomes her arrival makes her choke with love. Her throat moves from the swallow, and she unconsciously bites her lip.

Bella closes the door to the Volvo, looks up at her new home. Three stories high, white against green and stones-grey and dark pave the way to the doorway. Vines cling decoratively- flat and curving against the white crème of the surface.

The door swings open slight, as her hand trembles on the glass knob. Below, where her feet touches the marbled and carpeted floor to where the line to the staircase beckons her--- she instantly smiles to the display Edward left for her.

Petals: Red. White. And the colour of violets. The scent powerful and sweet, laid out in an ornamental trail. She inhales deep, and her senses as an immortal takes in all the flavours of the world-she listens to the sound of everything around her-tuning in the sharp sound of the sky changing shape and the crackling fire in the hearth above to the sound of her song played. Her heart constricts. Bella's steps take her to the tower-where their room sits above, away from all the rest. There's a curving staircase with a lacquered banister guiding her way, and each step takes her closer to the music and the man she loves so deeply.

She takes in the scene, where the small, rounded bay windows give her the view of outside, where she sees candles are placed in holders along the ascending stairway, illuminating and heightening the shadows and light. She smiles deeper at the romantic expression. Edward had given her a small castle---where their room views the lake and the sky and the long line of majestic trees. Obscured by civilization, but never too far from their family, the three story house takes in a morning glow from the eastern sun when their day is new.

Bella listens to his playing--there, before the piano-by the long open windows overlooking the vast forest of trees and the darkening cover of night. Twilight.

The doorway to the room is wide open, and the large room greets her---there is a small grand piano by the hearth and he's wearing a dark-grey jacket and a white, open collared crisp shirt. Their bed is large and a satiny diaphanous curtain partly obscures. They never needed to use it for sleep-vampires never sleep. She found that the days and the nights flow so easily into each other, and when she became close to exhausted or needed a break---was when she exerted herself over exercise and practice. But she is neveri really/i tired. Not tired in the way she used to feel as a human.

Even as she looks on with misty eyes, through the haze of adoration, watching Edward finish her song, she finds that living a life as an immortal was everything---as long as he was there.

He turns to her then, his crooked smile sending her heart swelling with more love. She wonders if any being in the entire world could ever feel this loved and love all the time. Bella watches pensively as his elegant fingers lightly touches the keys, reaching to the end of her song, and afterward, Edward stands, holding his hand out,

"Bella." He simply says. The expression on his face appears openly blissful, satisfied, and full of open longing, for they've waited for too long for this. The sound of light rain touches against the glass pane, and the trickle of water runs down the overhanging branches by their window. The sky streaks with the colour of deep purple, shots of pink, and a distant light flashes between dark dissipating clouds---falling further into the horizon of trees. She feels the gentle whip of the wind against her exposed skin--it felt tingly, and she takes a step, her heart skips.

And she is in his arms. The side of her face flat against the hard chest she is familiar with---his scent, his breathing, and the way he holds her---everything is as it should be. He reaches with a caress-cool fingers tracing her face, and replaces them with a kiss.

"Welcome home, my love."

She turns her face to his, where his kiss reached her lips, and his hand is gripping gently at the back of her head, caressing her dark hair. She answers in the only way she needs to, wants to-where her lips are reciprocating. Her hand has moved slowly up to touch the nape of neck, where the line of his hair ends. And she is being guided into the bed, dancing into the light and shadows of the candlelight. She hadn't noticed before. The lights have dimmed by the darkening sky---and the yellow glint of the candlelight sways to the soft breeze by the open window.

She is lying on the edge of the bed, where her knees are bent, and he's beside her, touching her hair-moving the strands away from her face, moving his fingers down by her open collar, by the slope of her breast and the narrow line of her waist. His other arm relaxes against the bed, where his hand holds up his head so that he's looking into her eyes, touching her in every way.

Bella inhales deeply, her mouth is parted, waiting for his next kiss, "Edward," she whispers, afraid to break the intensity of their quixotic sanctuary.

He brings his hand back up, slowly to where he pauses against the rise of her breast, gently caressing there. His eyes moves to her face again, "Yes, Bella?" He takes her hand to plant his lips along the edges of her fingers, lightly there at first then down to plant soft lips against her open palm, lastly leaving the wrist with a heated kiss.

She feels she can't breathe, slightly smiling, and yes-gasping, "The flowers, below...they're beautiful. The setting-what you've done.." she gasps again as she feels his lips on her neck, by her collarbone, and it feels hot against her skin. Where their skin is always cold to the touch for humans---for them, it feels warm and alive and inviting.

"I would have..." he says, slowly. His lips moving up, closer now to the spot behind her ear, "done more, but I heard you approaching, and....needless to say, I was nervous. I've missed you..."

Bella licks out; as if her mouth dry and he moves his body closer---his hand now at her waist gripping her against him. His lips close to hers, she opens willingly, feeling the kiss deepen.

The distant roar of thunder barely heard as the pitter patter of rain streams down like a slanting white sheet from the sky. A log moves as the fire burns and cracks the wood in the hearth, and Bella is vaguely aware of the flash of light---illuminating the room white for a moment.

She's already moved her leg over his waist, feeling the curl of her toes, and panting, moving enough so that her clothes could part, where her buttoned blouse has been expertly undone. Bella is vaguely aware of the world around her, even as he descends, his lips trailing a path from her parted mouth to every part of her body. She hasn't realized yet of how her back is arching, even as her hands are at the back of his neck, gripping ever so slightly at his hair, wanting to pull him to her more-or pull him away because---because it feels so good.

"Edward..." she gasps, her eyes staring at the ceiling, barely registering the play of light as she only feels the way he's making her.........

And he's already there---beside her, his lips hard against hers.


End file.
